The new year always offers an opportunity for us to start over, including our commitment to having a decluttered and organized home. But for most people, devoting oneself to decluttering is easier said than done. The thought of living a simple life with less stuff sounds attractive, but more often than not, it becomes overwhelming that we feel defeated around the idea of owning fewer than what we've gotten used to.
That’s just sad. Learning how to declutter our homes doesn’t need to be as painful as it appears to be. Remember, too much clutter in our home can lead to chaos that can cost us more money, time and even limit our productivity and concentration. So when we've been offered the chance, grab that opportunity to declutter our homes, and in turn, have a more organized life!
If you need guidance on how to get organized, here are some tips to get you started on decluttering your home:
Make a Plan and Pick a Decluttering Method. If you don't have a clear goal, you’ll start enthusiastically sorting through a few items but eventually, lose interest. Start with the right mindset, assess your space and understand how you want to organize a particular area in your home. Once you have a vision, pick a decluttering method that will work for you. The popular KonMari Method™ lets you pick up every item in your home and evaluate how it makes you feel. If it no longer gives you joy, better put it in the donation pile. Another method is the simple 90/90 test. If a regular household item has not been used in the past 90 days and will unlikely be used in the next 90 days, place it in the donation pile as well.
Tackle One Room at a Time. There is nothing worse than having your whole house turned upside down because you're on a decluttering spree. Take your time moving through your house room by room. Start in the room you feel most excited to organize. That way, you’ll create momentum to keep decluttering until your entire house is done! Bring with you the Lola® Jumbo Microfiber Cleaning Cloth or the microfiber duster from the Lola® 4-in-One Snap-in Cleaning Kit and Storage System so you can efficiently dust off household stuff while decluttering.
Give Everything a Home. For the lucky items which passed your selection process, give them proper storage space. Getting organized is essential for decluttering. Also, designate specific areas for things such as children's toys, paperwork, cleaning equipment. By doing this, everyone in the house will always know where things need to be.
Make Decluttering a Habit. After a fruitful day of organizing your home, there’s a deceptive misconception that you’re now done decluttering. You’re never and will never be done! Make decluttering a part of your life. You may run a weekly check for items to throw or give away, do a 10-minute pick-up at the end of each day, or conduct a last-minute check-up on whether things are in their right places before going to bed.
Decluttering is a process so give yourself time to really get into it. The goal is to take your first step in decluttering with some excitement behind it. After taking that first step, be realistic about your goals and how much time you’ll need for your home organizing efforts. Just remember, a decluttered house will let you be productive, healthier and ultimately, happier -- hence, live a decluttered life!
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